Cat & Mouse
by MewCuxie12
Summary: After two long years, Ikuto has finally returned to Amu. But what trouble has he brought with him? And, more importantly, how will they get rid of it? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Cuxie: AH! I can't believe it! I finally got a decent idea for an Amuto story! This is almost too good to be true!*-*

Amu: I can't believe you're about to subject me to this. =_=

Cuxie: Oh, don't pretend you're not loving it.

Amu: No pretending necessary.

Ikuto: Aw, does that mean you haven't missed me Amu-chan?

Amu: I-IKUTO?O.O Where'd you come from?

Cuxie: Teehee! We're about to find out!

Ikuto: **MewCuxie12 does NOT own Shugo Chara!.**

Cuxie: Rolling it!

* * *

Amu's POV

"Is it me..." I stood stiffly, watching the buzzing airport crowd, trying desperately to ignore the pair of bright purple eyes appraising me. I willed myself not to look over at her. She is _not_ going to make me squirm that easily. But it is kind of difficult to look for someone without appearing like you're looking for them while also trying to ignore the only person in your company. But I'm going to do it. "...or are you a little _dressed up_ today?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I did a mental checklist of everything I was wearing. Red leather crop jacket, a white tank top that read _Miss Understood_ over black fishnet, black jeans with red stitching and exactly seven pockets, and black ankle boots. I had on my favorite chain choker and wrist-cuff set and my make-up was limited to a dark red lips and shadowy eyes. I am the epitome of punk-rock.

Okay, so maybe I _did_ try a little harder than usual today. But that's only because it's been two years. I mean, what would it say if I looked like I'd just rolled out of bed? I'm not sure what this outfit said, but it certainly didn't say _I'm too lazy to care._ I hope it's more like _I'm dressing...but not for you._ And it's not like I don't have plans later. So I'm _not_ dressed up. Not at all.

Dressed up would be...well, Utau.

"You, on the other hand, are a little over the top," I told her somewhat smugly. Like me, she didn't dare look down at herself, but I'm sure she did her own mental checklist. Over the past few years I've learned that Utau isn't as invincible as she'd like everyone to think.

"I have to keep up my professional image," she said stiffly. I guess that's what she's calling her off-white lace minidress and knee-high lace-up boots. Her make-up was soft and sheer, but mostly concealed by her dark sunglasses. She looked like she stepped off the cover of a teen fashion magazine.

"Whatever you say. So where is he anyway? I don't have all day." It was just like him to call the night before and say he was coming home. No advance warning. No particular reasons. Just very off instructions to meet him at the airport at 9:20. And it is now...9:53.

"He'll be here," Utau said defensively. "It's not his fault if he's late." He can do no wrong in her eyes. And I can think of quite a couple of ways it could be his fault. He might've stopped to take a nap somewhere for all we know. That would be just like him. "And you didn't have to come, you know."

I broke my resolve then and turned to gape at her. Didn't have to come? _I didn't have to come?_ "You two practically begged me to be here!" Utau had broken character and refused to go unless I came with her. It almost makes me laugh to think that a few years ago she would've threatened my life if I'd been here to welcome her brother home. And Ikuto...he cheated and guilted me into coming, saying something about how it hurt that I didn't care whether he made it home safely or not. The conniving little cat.

"Whatever."

I groaned. "Well, if he's not here in the next 20 minutes I'm leaving."

"Oh, you are not."

Sometimes I hate it that she knows me so well. "I should! And I'm surprised you're not more upset. Tonight's your big concert!"

"Would you shut-up?" she hissed, glancing around. Some people were looking our way, but I doubt it's because of me. Like I said, Utau looks like the fashion model she used to be. "Do you want us to get mobbed?"

I winced. "Sorry." I've known Utau for almost four years now. The novelty of being around an idol, assuming it was ever there, has long since worn off. I often forget how famous she is. "But seriously, this concert's gonna be huge. And Yua-chan's opening for you. You're not the least bit thrown off with Ikuto coming so suddenly?"

"Not at all. In fact, his timing couldn't be more perfect. It's been forever since he's seen me on stage," she said, allowing a small smile to grace her face.

"It's been forever since he's seen you, period."

"Exactly. And don't think I can't see right through you, Amu. In fact, I think I'm a little concerned with how excited you are to see him." She smirked at me.

I snorted. _Please_. "He just better get here soon."

Ikuto's POV

I guess they've waited long enough.

From my seat near baggage claim I could clearly see Amu and Utau standing near Exit 7. I could also see that plenty of guys were craning there necks to get a glimpse of both of them, and I can't say for certain who was getting more attention.

Utau, naturally, was dressed to impress. Even when she's keeping a low profile she can only tone down her sense of style so much. And although not many girls can, Amu's never had a problem keeping pace with my sister in that aspect.

Not to mention the fact that she's definitely..._matured_ since I've been gone. Even from a distance, I could see curves in places they definitely hadn't been two years ago.

_I should get them before they get abducted,_ I thought. Although I'd love to see the guy who tried to take either of them on.

Apparently Utau was thinking the same thing since she seeming to be working on instilling maximum levels of terror within every male that dared to make eye contact with her.

Except for me, of course.

"IKUTO~!" I braced myself as she threw herself at me, nearly knocking me over. Her arms locked around my neck, cutting off my air supply. "Ikuto! Ikuto! Ikuto!" I opened my mouth to greet her, but the words were being strangled in my throat.

"Uh, Utau?" Amu tapped my sister's shoulder, a clearly practiced look of indifference on her face. "He can't breathe."'

My sister was still crying my name, mumbling incoherently into my shirt. If she heard Amu she was choosing to ignore her. I tried to pry her off as gently as possible, but part of me was still feeling guilty enough to let her choke me.

"Utau?" Amu said again, receiving the same response. Sighing, she hooked an arm around my sister's waist and tugged her back. "He's been back for less than two minutes and you're about to kill him." I tried to send her a grateful look, but she was still avoiding my eyes.

"I missed you so much," Utau cried.

"I missed you too." I placed an arm around her shoulders. Amu was studiously ignoring both of us, although it was probably more out of politeness for our little sibling reunion than anything. She still hadn't looked me in the eye.

"Can we get going already? My morning's already half gone."

Utau hissed at her, "Amu!"

"What? We've been waiting all day."

Ok. So making them wait wasn't the best idea. But I was still expecting a little more enthusiam. I studied Amu's face; suddenly her indifferent look didn't seem so practiced. Her lips were set in a little half-frown and her eyes were calm and calculating. I couldn't see any tell-tale signs that she was pretending (and there were usually a lot of them). She didn't seem anything like the Amu I knew.

For a moment I thought maybe she genuinely didn't care.

But of course there was one way to find out...

I placed an arm around her waist and pulled her next to me. Leaning over, I whispered in her ear, "You're as cold as ever. Didn't you miss me, Amu?"

Her eyebrows shot up a bit and her lips twitched, but there was no blushing. She didn't even stutter when she said, "Why should that matter now? It didn't two years ago."

And as if that didn't sting enough, she looked me directly in the eye. While I was pleased to find that her eyes hadn't changed as much as the rest of her, still the same beautiful gold, it didn't make what I saw any easier.

She was angry. That much was obvious. Her eyes were narrowed slightly, and she looked almost as if she were going to cry. Then she turned away again. "C'mon. The car's waiting."

"We're going out for breakfast," Utau said, trying to sound upbeat to account for Amu's coldness. "You can tell us everything you've been up to."

That hardly seemed important now. I'd forgotten that Amu is harder to win over than Utau; she doesn't forgive me as easily. But I'm hoping that doesn't mean she won't forgive me at all. After all, I did come back. I always said I'd come back. I just never said when.

I just hope I'm not too late.

Unknown POV

I could see him.

I just hoped he couldn't see me. I don't want to reveal myself until I'm sure of what I'm going to say. The plane ride had been awful. We both had aisle seats, mine next to business man, and his next to a woman who spent the entire ride ogling him even though she was clearly much older than he was. I'd hidden myself behind some foreign magazine while he sat only a few seats away. I hadn't gotten up for anything, too scared to draw attention to myself. Our meeting can't be accidental, and it can't be on his terms. I have to plan this to be just right.

What if he doesn't remember me? What'll I do then?

Clenching my hands together, I pushed carefully through the crowd, keeping a deliberate distance between us. It wasn't until I got closer that I could see he wasn't alone.

Walking on either side of him, were two girls. Two extremely gorgeous girls. A tall blonde in sunglasses was clinging to his arm, smiling at him in a way that only a girlfriend would. On his other side was a pink-haired girl in red leather. She didn't seem as taken with him. A relative maybe? I could only hope.

But a girlfriend! Of course he had one! And of course she was beautiful and sweet-looking and impeccably dressed. I'm not sure why I wasn't expecting it, but it hit hard. I almost let myself lose sight of them, give up, when I remembered that this is it. There's no going back. No place to return to. It was now or never.

Keeping my one suitcase in hand, I plunged into the crowd after them.

* * *

Cuxie: I~am~so~excited~!

Ikuto: I'm a little disappointed.

Amu: And I'm a little ticked off.

Cuxie: Harshing my mellow!

Amu: Can you not publish this? It can't end well.

Cuxie: It will end as all my stories end!

Ikuto: How do all your stories end?

Cuxie: Erm...well, most of them aren't finished yet, so I can't really say. Heheh.

Amu: So should you really be starting this new-

Cuxie:(covering Amu's mouth) R&R! More coming at a not-much-later date!


	2. Chapter 2

Cuxie: Welcome to~Welcome to~Welcome to my heart~!

Amu: Just what anime are you writing about here?

Cuxie: Just because this is an SC story doesn't mean I can't sing other anime songs! And who knows...this _might_ be a crossover. ;)

Amu: WHAT?

Dejiko: Nyo?

Cuxie: I kid, I kid! Sorry, Dejiko-chan. Maybe one day...

Amu: Rolling with this **very non-crossover-y story**!

Cuxie: Heh. "Non-crossover-y"?

Amu: They know what I mean!

* * *

Amu's POV

_What is __**wrong**__ with me?_ I barely resisted the urge to bang my head against a wall.

We were at a diner. One of the lesser known places that Utau likes to frequent, since it's easier for her to maintain a low profile in less crowded areas like these. I toyed with the chain links on my wrist cuff, determined to keep myself out of the conversation. Which wasn't _too_ difficult, since Utau was bent on monopolizing the entire conversation. I couldn't have gotten a word in if I tried.

"You know, you missed the release of my last album. I did a promotion and everything," she said to him with a slight pout.

Ikuto sighed. "I know."

Knowing Utau, she wasn't trying to make him feel guilty.

I, on the other hand, was making a hobby out of it. After two long years, I couldn't even begin to describe how excited I was to see Ikuto. How happy I was that he was safe at home, and how interested I was in knowing about everywhere he'd been and everything he'd seen. It was like I was so charged up that I just couldn't find the words to express how happy I was.

So I pretended I wasn't.

And, granted, it wasn't all pretending. When I first caught a glimpse of him in the airport, I was extremely embarrassed by how high my heart soared. But then I saw Utau throw herself at him and I was instantly furious. Why should he get to disappear for as long as he wants without consequence? Why should he get to leave behind everyone that cares about him and then be forgiven so quickly? I wasn't letting him off that easy.

Staring at my soggy, syrup-drenched pancakes, I tried to sort out every crazy thought and feeling raging on inside of me.

"Not hungry?"

I glanced up, barely catching his eyes before looking away. "Not particularly," I mumbled. He'd been trying to catch my eyes, probably looking for some kind of clue about what was wrong with me. He always could read me like a book. But honestly...I was afraid. I was afraid that if I looked him in the eyes I'd turn into Utau; completely unable to stay mad at him about anything. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to look away again. I was afraid that I'd tell him everything I'd been thinking about him since he left.

It suddenly seemed like too much effort to keep my emotions in check. _Time to make my exit._ I stood up and grabbed my purse. "I've got to get going."

Utau blinked. "_Now_?"

"I told you I've got stuff to do today."

"Yeah, but..." She glanced quickly at Ikuto, then sent me a look that meant we'd be having a serious discussion later. "You're going to the show, right?"

"Of course. See ya backstage." I turned to leave, then realized I hadn't addressed her brother at all. "Oh, and Ikuto?" I called over my shoulder.

There was a brief pause. "Yes?"

"Welcome back."

Ikuto's POV

Something's wrong with her.

As soon as she left, I was halfway out of my seat, getting ready to follow her. Then Utau pulled me back down. "Give her some space. She's thinking things through."

She's not the only one.

"Amu sure has...changed since I've been gone."

My sister looked thoughtful. "I suppose so. But I guess after two years you'd say that about all of us."

I instantly knew who the collective 'us' was, and was surprised that Utau considered herself one of them. Things really have changed since I've been gone. Taking a good look at my sister now, I'd still recognize her anywhere. But naturally with time she'd gotten a little bit taller, her face a bit sharper and more mature. It was liking seeing a before and after picture in a magazine. "So have there been any other big changes I should know about?"

Her cheeks flushed slightly. Then she jutted her chin out stubbornly, a gesture she and Amu shared whenever they decided to be petulant. "Well, I'm sure it won't surprise you, but since you left Kukai and I have been...seeing each other."

I rose an eyebrow. "'Seeing each other'?"

"_Yes_. So don't act shocked if you see him a bit more often than you used to."

"Is it safe to assume that 'a bit more often' doesn't include him sleeping over?"

She punched my arm, cheeks flaming. "Ikuto! Don't be ridiculous!" I laughed, glad to still be able to get a rise out of _someone_ since Amu, apparently, had turned to stone. "But since you mentioned sleeping over...are you moving back into you're old room?" she asked, not bothering to hide the weight her questioned carried.

"For a while," I responded. Her face fell and she opened her mouth to protest. "Relax. I'm not leaving any time soon. What I meant is that I'd like to get an apartment. So I'll be moving into my old room until then."

"Oh," she sighed with obvious relief. "That's great! We can go house-hunting." Then something seemed to dawn on her. "But how will you pay rent? You don't have a job."

"I saved up some money while I was overseas." Being low-maintenance has it's advantageous. Beyond eating and sleeping, I didn't want for much, which meant I didn't spend much either. I was able to take up at the places of a few people I knew; friends of my father, friends of Tsukasa, and people who just liked my music and were willing to put me up for a night or two. I'd been homeless by choice, occassionally having to spend a night at an inn here and there.

"You earned enough to keep you stable? Just by playing the violin?"

I shrugged. "And a few odd jobs here and there. I'll probably need to find a job in the next few months, but nothing I have to worry about right away."

Utau smiled slightly. "Well, that's good. And least it means you've been taking care of yourself, I guess."

I returned the smile. "And I assume you've been doing the same."

"Of course." Her eyes sparkled excitedly. She looked happier than I'd seen her in a long time. "I can't wait for you to see me in concert." I couldn't wait either. I could tell by the proud look on her face that the past two years have been very good to her career. Suddenly, she was hugging me again. Calmer this time and closer to tears, she whispered, "I missed you so much, Ikuto..."

I put my arm around her shoulders. "I missed you too, sis."

Unknown POV

A sob caught in my throat as I watched them embracing.

I sat a few tables away from the love of my life. Wearing a hat that covered most of my short hair and a long coat, I was careful not to look directly at them so I wouldn't draw their attention. Tracking them here had been exhausting. It seemed nearly impossible to keep him in my sights for more than a second. As soon as I'd relocated him in the airport, he was being shuttled off in a big fancy car with the two pretty girls.

I'd followed them in a taxi, using money I couldn't afford to waste, and irritating the driver by merely point at the car by way of directions. (I didn't speak any Japanese, which was just as well, since I didn't know where I wanted him to take me anyway.)

When I arrived at the diner I had picked this little corner to observe them from, ordering nothing since I didn't know how to order in Japanese.

The pink-haired one had left, looking displeased about something. I had almost thought they would all leave and I'd have to chase them down again. But Ikuto stayed, speaking intimately with the long-haired girl.

_Oh, Ikuto_... I thought mournfully. What hope did I have of taking him away from that beautiful, statuesque, blonde goddess?

Then again, what hope did I have of surviving here if I didn't try? I just had to keep reminding myself that. I silently wished the blonde girl would leave too. Not only because it hurt and angered me to see her so close to him, but because I needed to speak with him soon. And I needed to do it alone. Certainly not in front of his girlfriend.

_She's just an obstacle in my way,_ I thought bravely. _If I can just get past her, I'll make Ikuto mine. She can't stop me. _Nothing _will stop me._

* * *

Cuxie: Muahahaha! I won't reveal the mystery so quickly!

Amu: So when are going to find out who this mystery person is?

Cuxie: When the timing is right. What kind of story do you think this is?

Amu: A very annoying one.

Cuxie: Those are fighting words! (draws saber) Have at ye! En garde!

Amu: Don't wave that thing at me!

Cuxie: Then ye best be shuttin' yer trap there, missie!

Amu: I'm ending this. Once she starts talking like a pirate, all bets are off. ~_~

Cuxie: R&R ya landlubbers! ^_-


	3. Chapter 3

Cuxie: Guess who!

Amu: I'll guess the weird girl who likes to meddle in our lives.

Cuxie: Still stone-cold I see. We'll fix that this chapter.

Amu: What do you mean by "fix"?

Cuxie: You'll see. ;)

Amu: I don't like the sound of this...

Cuxie: Roll like the wind!

* * *

Amu's POV

"You're early."

I sighed into the chocolate soda Kimi placed in front of me. "I know." Even on my days off, I usually find myself coming to Lace. It's the Lolita cafe I started working at when I was thirteen. The staff is required to wear different styles of Lolita. I actually got the job by accident. Since I'm known for my casual Punk Lolita style anyway, the manager mistook me for one of the waitresses the first time I came in. When I told her I wasn't one, she looked me up and down and then asked if I wanted to be.

Kimi is two years older than me. Her style is Sailor Lolita; she was dressed head to toe in navy blue and white. Her navy skirt was pleated and paired with a white sailor-esque blouse with puffy sleeves. On her head was a large navy blue Alice bow. Most of the staff at Lace is nice, but Kimi and I have been friends from the beginning.

She smiled sympathetically, pushing a lock of blue hair from her face. "Nerves, huh?"

"I guess. I don't know." I glanced at my cell phone. Tadase would be here in three minutes. He's always right on time. "I have a feeling this isn't just a hanging-out sort of thing, you know?" Tadase hadn't said much when he asked to see me today. Or I guess I should say he didn't say anything at all. Just a text of the place and time. And a smiley face. Which I guess should put me at ease. Smiley faces don't usually precede break-ups. At least, I don't think they do. No one's ever broken up with me before. The smiley face could be part of the 'let her down gently' strategy.

Against cafe rules, Kimi sat down next to me, stealing a sip of my soda. "_You _need to relax. I've seen the way that kid looks at you and there is no _way _this is about what you think it's about. I mean, if I had a boyfriend that cute and attentive-"

Mr. Cute and Attentive chose that moment to come in, spotting us immediately. Kimi vacated his seat quickly and stood primly beside me. "Can I get you anything?" she asked as he slid into the seat across from me. I couldn't help but notice he didn't stop to kiss my cheek like he usually does.

"Just water please, Kimi-san."

He looked up at me, his bangs shielding his face just a little, and smiled. It looked a little strained. _Stop imagining things, Amu!_ "Hi, Amu-chan. You look great."

I shifted a bit self-consciously. "Thanks. How did the game go?" I remember him telling me Kukai and Nagihiko were dragging him out to play basketball. Not that Tadase's bad at sports, but he's not exactly a jock.

His cheeks reddened a bit. "Well enough. Although Kukai and Nagihiko did get pretty competitive. " I could totally imagine that. Kimi returned with his drink, lingering long enough to surreptitiously flash me a thumbs up. "Are you looking forward to the concert?"

"Totally." I brightened up a bit. "Utau hasn't sung at the Yumeplex since sixth grade." This concert was gonna hold her biggest crowd since she broke away from Easter.

"I heard Ikuto-nii-san is going to be there."

I shrugged. Ikuto was the last thing I wanted to discuss. Particularly with Tadase. I never even told him I went with Utau to the airport to pick him up. I could see he noticed my apprehension, so I decided to question him before he questioned me. "So, um...Is there any particular reason you wanted to see me today?"

His shoulders tensed about, a tell-tale sign of bad news. "Amu-chan...there's something I need to tell you." _I knew it! _"I should've said something to you sooner. I feel like I've put this off for way too long." My heartbeat kicked up.

_Oh God, here it comes..._"W-What is it, Tadase-kun?"

"Amu-chan...I got accepted to Azaku."

"...Huh?"

"Azuka High School. It's a really prestigious school. The application process itself is pretty time-consuming, and the interview..." I tuned out as he went on a tangent about school rankings and graduating alumni. _Accepted to Azuka? Not...not a break-up?_I could literally feel my blood pressure going down. The threat of tears disappeared and I found myself giggling. "Amu-chan?"

"An acceptance letter? That's all?" His face completely fell and I rushed to catch myself. "Oh, n-no! Not that it isn't great, I just thought...I thought you were going to say something else."

"What else is there to say?"

"Nothing! So, um, Azuka, huh? That's amazing, Tadase-kun!" He grinned and continued telling me all about the schools highest national test scores. To be honest, I didn't know much of anything about Azuka, except that it was insanely hard to get in to, and it was an all-boy's school, and...and... "Tadase-kun..."

"Yes?"

"Isn't Azuka a boarding school in the city?"

His smile was wiped clean and his eyes looked pleading. He reached for my hand across the table. "Amu-chan-"

"You applied to a boarding school miles from here without even telling me?" My throat felt clogged with unshed tears. How could he do that? How could he make such an important decision without telling me? "How long?"

He wouldn't look me in the eyes. "I applied two months ago."

"Two months!"

"Amu-chan, _please_, hear me out. I know I should've told you sooner."

"Why? It's obvious you made up your mind a long time ago!"

He squeezed my hand. "Amu-chan-"

I pulled it away. I couldn't look at him. Knowing I was only moments away from bursting into tears, I grabbed my purse and tried to make as composed an exit as possible. Tadase slapped some bills on the table and rushed after me. "Please listen. I wanted to talk to you about this."

"I don't want to talk about it!" My voice sounded shrill in my ears. As I was going out, he caught the door behind me before it could slam shut.

"Amu-chan, be reasonable." He grabbed my arm, attempting to keep me from running off. I looked at him. He was using his sparkly look. Or trying to, anyway. Most of the time, I can't resist it when he makes his eyes all big and shiny like that. But this time, I didn't melt. It just made me even madder that he was trying to get out of it by using his looks. _What's wrong with me today? I'm getting mad for no reason at everyone. First Ikuto, now Tadase...Maybe I need to cool off._ "Will you at least let me explain, Amu-chan?"

I stopped struggling. Once he seemed sure I wasn't going to bolt, he let go of me. "...Not now, Tadase-kun."

"But-"

"I want to think about this." He opened his mouth to protest. "Alone."

He closed it. "...I suppose that's fair. Just..." He sighed and ran a hand haphazardly through his hair. "Just let me say this: I know things will be different, but I don't want it to change anything between us."

I nodded and turned to leave.

"And Amu-chan...I love you."

_I won't cry here._ I took off before he could say anything else. I needed to get as far away from him as possible. I needed to calm down. It couldn't be healthy to have so many emotions roaring around inside me. I was hurt, angry, annoyed, and on the verge of a meltdown.

_'I know things will be different...'_

_He's going...He's already decided that. He decided a long time ago. Without me._ I could tell just by the way he'd said it. Nothing I said or did at this point would change his mind. Maybe that's why he didn't tell me sooner; he didn't want me to convince him not to go.

I took out my cellphone, pressing the speed-dial button. It rang twice. "Can you come get me? My life's just been ruined."

* * *

Cuxie: Aw! Poor Amu-chan!

Amu: What the hell? I thought you were gonna "fix" things!

Cuxie: Yeah...turns out, I'm not much of a handygirl, as the case may be. But I made things more interesting!

Amu: You just created more conflict!

Cuxie: Conflict = Interest

Amu: I want out of this story!.

Cuxie: Sor~ry, you've got a contract.

Amu: What? I didn't sign any contract.

Cuxie: You did if I type you did. Now tell the ppl to R&R!

Amu: You do it, I'm getting a lawyer...


	4. Chapter 4

Cuxie: Aloha kiddies! Sorry for the wait.

Amu: How could you cut off at such a traumatic moment?

Cuxie: Uh, _hello_? Ever heard of a cliffhanger?

Amu: I disapprove.

Cuxie: Well I reapprove your disapproval, which means this chapter is now officially approved of. ^-^ Rolling!

* * *

Amu's POV

"Oh, Amu-chan!" Yaya wrapped her arms around me, crying dramatically. "I can't believe Tadase-kun would be so mean!" I found myself, absurdly enough, consoling my younger friend at the moment. We were riding with Rima, whose personal driver (the solution to most of her parents' problems) was our usual mode of transportation. I had managed to withhold my tears until I was safely hidden in the backseat, sandwiched between two of my best friends.

Yaya had started to cry with me and continued long after I'd stopped.

"Yaya, _please._ Now isn't the time for tears," my smaller blonde friend said, assuming an air of authority. "Now is the time for planning."

"Planning?" _Leave it to Rima to take charge or my heartbreak._

"We have to have a plan of attack. You're not just going to sit back and let him go, are you?"

I hesitated. Was I? I didn't want him to leave, but I couldn't control him. "It's not a matter of me letting him, Rima. He's made up his mind."

She shook her head at me, her blonde curls brushing against my shoulders as she did so. "Honestly, Amu. I didn't think you'd give up so easily."

I huffed impatiently. "Well, what am I supposed to do then? Lock him in a cage?"

"I like that idea," Yaya said mischievously.

"It won't come to that," Rima assured us. "You're going to change his mind, and I'm going to tell you exactly how to do it." Raw determination showed on her otherwise soft and innocent face. Whatever 'plan' she'd just come up with, there was no talking her out of it.

"Rima's got a plan!" Yaya squealed excitedly.

Leaning my head back against the seat, I closed my eyes and sighed. _What did I just get myself into?_

"Rima...I still don't see what shopping has to do with keeping my boyfriend in town." We were on the Shopping Line, which is to say we were on the district street were every store lining the block was a clothing or music store. We went in and out of all the clothing stores, browsing for only a few minutes at a time until we came to Rima's personal favorite spot.

_Petite Koi_: Rima's favorite store because they were known for having a large section catered to people of her, um, stature. It was a pretty feminine place. The kind you would go to when thinking frills, lace, and ribbons. Not that I was too opposed to those things, but I normally didn't do them to such an extent. Rima, on the other hand, had the small build and soft features created for just this fashion.

And Yaya found everything adorable, so she was right at home as well.

"I told you Amu; this is Phase One." Rima sifted through several racks, making faces and occasionally smiling when she found something of interest.

"Yeah, but you never explained what Phase One _means_," I pressed. Rima was holding back the details, for suspense most likely. She was such a plotter. All I knew was the main objective; I needed to make Tadase _want_ to stay, without seeming like that was what I was trying to do. I needed to make him change his mind, while making him think that staying was his idea. And to do that, according to Rima, I needed to become the perfect girlfriend. One he couldn't stand to be away from. 'The thought of leaving me behind would be too much for him to bear and he'll immediately nix the whole boarding school idea,' is what Rima had said.

_Which means the thought of leaving me behind isn't all that unbearable for him now,_ I thought miserably.

"Phase One is the Eye Candy phase. We need to make you look _irresistable_," she said, holding up a somewhat racy lace blouse that I would _never_ be allowed to leave the house in. "And we know that Tadase likes you best when you're all pink and girly."

"Amu-chan, check this out!" Yaya came over to us. She held up a layered light pink miniskirt with cream-colored lace trimming. "You've got to try it on! It'll look perfect on you!"

Rima nodded approvingly. "Nice work Yaya." My blonde friend pulled one of the shirts off of the rack and shoved it at me. "Try this on with it."

After some poking and prodding, I was shoved into a changing room. I emerged feeling distressed, but pretty. The ruffles on the skirt brushed softly against my legs. The shirt Rima gave me was cream-colored and vintage-looking with a large pink heart that looked as if it had been painted in watercolor. It all blended well with my hair color, and although I'd been reluctant to try it on, I was already imagining what accessories would make the outfit pop a little.

"Gorgeous," Yaya sighed. Rima smiled at me.

"See? This is the easiest plan ever." I wasn't convinced of that yet. "When he sees you tonight he won't be able to take his eyes off you."

I blanched. _Tonight?_ "You can't be talking about Utau's concert."

Rima gave me a confused look, her eyebrows furrowing delicately. "Of course. Why not?"

I could think of a lot of reasons why not. For one, this didn't strike me as a concert-ready outfit. More like a romantic date outfit. For another thing, it was way too soon to put the plan into motion. I may look nice, but I didn't think I'd be able to look Tadase in the face tonight. I'd almost forgotten we were both going to the concert. "Rima...I don't think I can do it. Not tonight."

"Amu-"

"We can put the plan off until tomorrow, right? I mean, can't we save this outfit until-"

Crossing her arms, the little blonde fixed me with a look that broke no argument. "Amu Hinamori, now is _not_ the time to be stalling! If you want to keep your boyfriend you better start acting like you've got some ambition."

"Yeah," Yaya added. "There's no time for waiting."

I sighed. It was useless to argue when I was outnumbered. "Fine. But I really don't think this outfit is concert-appropriate."

"Who said this is all we're buying?"

Unknown POV

Reluctant to spend anymore money on a cab, I spent most of the day walking around town, slowly becoming familiar with the oddly-named streets and unpronounceable store names. To my utter dismay, I hadn't been able to keep up with Ikuto. He took so many back streets and hidden passages that I'd quickly gotten lost trying to follow him. I had had a brief moment of panic when the thought crossed my mind that I'd never be able to find him again.

But I urged myself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn't help me. I needed to think clearly if I was going to find him. And before I found him, I need to figure out how I'd speak to him. I had been unable to stop myself from going in a bookstore. A beginner's guide to speaking Japanese was a wise investment.

The street I was on now was lined with clothing stores. I longed for the money and time to go into any of them. At home, I'd never had the expenses to dress fashionably, and it seemed I wouldn't have that here either. Not unless I found a job and a place to stay pretty fast. Part of me had been hoping I could stay with Ikuto...

I stopped outside of a store called _Petite Koi_. The sight of a single understandable word amist all the jumbled characters put me at ease. I peered inside, briefly considering going in. I gasped as I caught sight of someone coming out of the store. _The pretty pink girl!_ The pink-haired girl I'd seen with Ikuto, who I'd already begun to think of as his sister, was walking out. She was carrying a shopping bag, walking with two friends: a younger sweet-looking girl with long lustrous blonde hair, and a perky-looking girl with pigtails who walked with a slight bounce in her step.

They didn't seem to notice me as they walked by. I watched them walk away, anxiety creeping into my chest. _Should I follow her?_ Then, suddenly, a thought struck me: _She may be the only chance I have of finding Ikuto again!_

I raced after her.

* * *

Cuxie: I swear these stories write themselves! This is not how I saw this chapter going...

Amu: I think we're on the right track.

Cuxie: SERIOUSLY? O.o

Amu: Yeah. By next chapter we should _finally_ learn the name of the Unknown, the concert will be happening, which means me, Tadase, and Ikuto will finally be in the same room after two years, which is sure to be interesting. And-

Cuxie: Ok, ok! Don't give the whole thing away. Sheesh. R&R before Amu spoils anything else!

Amu:(shrugs)


	5. Chapter 5

Cuxie: O-o-ooooh, I'm back agaaaaain~!

Amu: Oh, please. Spare us all.

Cuxie: _An agonizing death?_

Amu: O.o Uh...I was talking about you singing.

Cuxie: Oh. Right. ^-^ Well, I'll try. On both accounts. Rolling!

Amu: Wait-what?

* * *

Amu's POV

I carried my shopping bags, feeling light-hearted. It was beginning to feel like shopping was just shopping, time spent with my friends, talking, laughing, and having fun.

And not attempting to save my relationship with Tadase.

I had a brand-new, irresistably cute outfit. I had Rima and Yaya's guidance. And, as much as I'm still sort of dreading it, I have Utau's concert tonight. Backstage will definitely be awkward, but I can worry about that later. For now, I thought about sitting in the front row and listening to Utau sing for thousands of people, inspiring others with her voice. Maybe it would help me through the rest of the night afterwards.

We were about to go into _Momo no ChouChou_, the glitter-happy accessory store, when someone rammed into me from behind. "Wah!" I stumbled forward. Rima and Yaya grabbed onto my arms to keep me from falling.

"Hey, watch it!" Rima snapped, her temper taking over.

I turned around. The person was gripping the hem of my tank top, making it twist around my stomach. "Um...can you let go?" It was a girl. She was bent over, panting like she'd just run a marathon. Short blonde hair curled from underneath a blue knit cap, and she was wearing a long brown coat over a floral print dress. Her head hung down as she caught her breath; I couldn't see her face. When I went to gently pry her hands from my shirt, her head snapped up.

Large, gray-blue eyes fringed with long lashes stared back at me, pleading and desperate. She stood to her full height and released me. She was taller than I am, and older too. Maybe around Utau's age...

Rima moved in front of me, crossing her arms over her chest and looking as intimidating as she ever has. "Aren't you going to apologize? You nearly ran my friend over."

"Yeah, Amu-chi could've been hurt," Yaya added, placing her hands on her hips.

The older girl looked scared, glancing from Rima to Yaya and taking a step back. She started to babble, stuttering at first, then stringing together sentences so quickly I wouldn't have understood them even if she _was_ speaking Japanese. Which she wasn't.

"You guys, calm down. She's a foreigner."

Rima sniffed, "I wouldn't care if she's an ambassador. She practically tackled you to the ground!" Rima's fiercely protective for someone of her size.

"She probably just wants directions or something." I squeezed my way between my friends and the foreign girl. "Are you lost?"

She cocked her head, seeming frustrated. She didn't understand me any more than I understood her. "_Veuillez m'aider._.." I stared back blankly.

"I don't think that was English," Rima muttered beside me. I'm pretty sure she's right. Not that I would call myself bilingual, but at least we study English in school. I hadn't recognized a single English word.

The girl could tell we weren't getting anywhere. Tears pooled in her eyes. I'm was tempted to take her to a police officer or someone who could help her get wherever she was going, when she said a single word that changed everything.

"...I-Ikuto."

Utau's POV

"Here it is, just the way you left it." I felt giddy, showing Ikuto to his room. Giggly. Like a little girl. He set two suitcases on the bed. I remembered him leaving with only one. I wonder what else he bought, although its probably not much knowing him. A few essential clothes, most likely. Not for the first time, I wondered if he knew how long he'd be gone when he left.

He turned to me and I was afraid he might ask me to leave him alone to unpack. Then he said, "I got you a souvenir."

An embarrassingly girlish squeal escapes my lips, but I don't care. I don't need to hide anything from him. "You didn't have to do that," I said, barely able to contain my excitement. He gave me a ghost of a smile and handed me a manilla envelope that was strapped to the inside cover of the suitcase. I tried to hide my confusion. _Papers?_ "Um..." I opened it. "Sheet music?"

He nodded. "While I was overseas I contacted some of dad's old aquaintances. I found a few local musicians he played with. That's from a woman in a town near Germany. She was a singer who did a few compositions accompanied by his violin. I had the lyrics translated and thought..." He let the thought trail off, allowing me to put together the rest. "I have dad's copy. I remember you used to like singing to my violin." The way he said it made it sound like it was so long ago.

"Oh, Ikuto..." Glancing down the notes and lyrics, my eyes started to burn with tears. This wasn't just a souvenir. It was a part of my father. _Our_ father. "Ikuto...you have no idea how much this means to me." _God, I'm getting emotional. Get it together, Utau!_

I thought he would shrug it off, but instead he pulled out his violin case. "Would you like to..."

"Now?"

Now he did shrug. "If you're not busy."

I shook off the nostgalia and nodded eagerly. As I was looking over the lyrics, my phone started to ring. Annoyed, I pulled it out of my pocket and glared at the screen. The caller ID said it was Amu. "Oh, so _now_ she wants to talk," I muttered.

I could practically see Ikuto's ears perk up. "Maybe you should get that..."

Biting my lip, I turned away from him. I knew he was still worried about Amu. And I probably should be too. I should answer it, but...I've finally got a moment alone with my brother after two whole years! _Amu's not taking that away from me._ I very deliberately put my cell away and turned to my brother, who didn't say anything at all about my decision. Ignoring the concerned look on his face, I smiled.

"Are you ready?"

Amu's POV

"Ugh, dammit Utau." I snapped my phone shut and fell back on my bed. Yaya bounced on the mattress beside me, while Rima chose my desk chair. Its her favorite spot to sit and rifle through my things.

"She's not answering?" Rima twirled a pen in her hand.

"Nope."

"Call Ikuto."

"I tried that first. He hasn't switched from his international plan yet, so he's not getting any service at all." With a defeated sigh, I glanced at our "guest" who was standing in the corner, looking around my room. She sensed me staring and gazed back at me hopefully. I bit my lip and turned away, fiddling with my phone.

"Sooo...what do we do now?" Yaya asked, quickly growing bored with the whole situation.

"Well, we've got to get her to Ikuto somehow, so I guess we'll just take her to the concert."

"I doubt she has a ticket," Rima piped up.

"So? We know the star of the show. We can get her in somehow." I glanced back over at the foreign girl. She was fiddling with the hem of her dress. "We should probably figure out who she is first and where she's from." I waved her over. Hesitant, she came and sat primly on the edge of my bed. I took a deep breath and said slowly, "What is your name?"

She stared blankly.

I sighed and turned to Rima and Yaya. "Ok, um...maybe we should all say our names first. Then hopefully she'll get the idea."

"Sure."

"Whatever."

"Ok." Trying again, I turned back to the stranger and pointed at myself. "I'm Amu," I said, emphasizing the pronunciation of my name.

"I'm Yaya!" My younger friend said brightly. She reached around me and shook the girl's hand vigorously.

"Rima," the blonde said curtly, still keeping her distance.

I turned back to the girl. Again I asked her, "What is your name?"

This time, I saw a look of understanding on her face. "Ella," she said quietly.

"Ella?" I repeated. She nodded. Yaya and I grinned at each other. "We're getting somewhere."

Rima rolled her eyes. "Yeah. _Now_, we're stuck with a strange foreigner _named Ella_ who we can't understand at all, as opposed to what we had five minutes ago, which was-Oh! That's right. _Exactly the same thing_."

"Can't you at least pretend to be nice?"

"I just don't think you should've invited a stranger into your home when your parents aren't here." Rima has that kind of mentality when it came to things like that. She's definitely more cautious than the rest of us. But Ella looked pretty harmless to me. "I know what you're thinking," Rima said, giving me a stern look. "It's always the ones you least expect."

Well, I guess she's living proof of that.

"Oh, foo! She's here now anyway. Why bother fighting about it?" Yaya pointed out. "Besides, this is the most interesting thing thats happened all week! I wonder how she knows Ikuto-san. Do you think she's some long-lost relative?"

"Maybe he owes her something and she followed him here to get it back," Rima speculated.

"Maybe _she_ owes _him_ something!"

Ella-san fidgeted next to me. It must be nerve-wracking to watch total strangers talk about you and not be able to understand a word of what they're saying. "That's enough guys. We still need to figure out where she's from. Then we'll have an idea of what language she speaks." I went over to Rima, pushing her chair aside so I could search through some of my books. Inside of my geography book was a large, folded poster of a world map.

"Good idea, Amu-chii!"

Bumping Yaya off of the bed, I spread the map out between me and Ella-san. Her eyes brightened visibly. I didn't even have to ask or demonstrate this time. She knew exactly what I was trying to do and immediately pointed at a country on the east side of the map.

"France? You're French?"

"Ooh-la-la!" Yaya giggled sitting on the floor by my feet. "How cool is that?"

Rima looked unimpressed. "I was hoping for something a little more exotic."

"Ikuto sent me a few pictures from France before," I said thoughtfully, mostly to myself.

"Did he mention Ella-san at all?" Rima asked. I shook my head. "So we're back at a dead end..."

"We'll, we're at a dead end until we can take her to Ikuto anyway. I'm just trying to figure out as much as I can before the concert."

"Speaking of the concert," Rima tossed our shopping bags onto the bed. "Shouldn't we be getting ready?"

* * *

Cuxie: I lied, I know. I said this would be the concert chapter and its not. I have branded myself a liar. I can no longer be trusted. T^T

Rima: Like you could ever be trusted.

Cuxie: Silence in the back! So as a shugoi-special make-up treat, the real REAL concert chapter will be posted by this time tomorrow so you all don't have to wait long. How does that sound? Good enough to R&R I hope...


	6. Chapter 6

Cuxie: Oh-HO! For once I'm back just as quick as I promised! ;)

Ella: I hope things get sorted out soon. .

Cuxie: I hope they don't. ^^ Confusion is funny!

Ella: Oh, dear...

Cuxie: Rockin' and a'rollin'!

* * *

Ella's POV

I had been overjoyed when the pink-haired girl, Amu, I believe, had been kind enough to bring me home with her. But Ikuto wasn't here when we arrived. (He must still be with that _other_ girl...) The four of us seemed to be the only ones home. I was slightly relieved to have gotten as far as exchanging names, even more so to be able to tell them where I was from. After being in Japan for less than a day, I was feeling lost and desperate. A few friends wouldn't hurt at all.

I yawned. _And maybe a nap too._ Jet-lag appeared to be finally catching up with me. I watched silently for a while as Amu and the little blonde girl Rima went back and forth. I didn't need a translator to tell me that Rima wasn't too fond of me being here.

My head tilted forward. I fought my hardest against the pull of sleep and Amu's soft pink comforter. It would be rude to doze off here, in her room, when they were apparently trying to figure out what to do with me.

_But it doesn't look like they can communicate much more..._ What else could we say to each other without the use of words? I felt a pillow give way as my head fell back. I shut my eyes. _Just for a second..._

I dreamed about Ikuto.

_We're sitting out on the terrace at one of the tables of my mother's café. But this time, I'm not working. We're sitting across from each other, completely alone, sipping iced drinks. Around us, people are talking animatedly, but I can't hear any of them. It's like watching a silent movie; no noise besides the gentle hum of a violin in the background. Ikuto whispers something in my ear. I'm not sure what he says, but I'm sure its romantic._

_Then he gets up. He takes my hand gently and leads me away. The farther we walk from the café, the more distorted everything becomes. I can't make out the streets or shops we pass by. I don't know where we are, even though we must be in the town I've lived in all my life. But I follow Ikuto, sure that he's leading me in the right direction._

_After a moment, I notice that his hand doesn't feel right in mine. It's too light. I look down. His skin is slightly transparent, like foggy glass. I call his name silently. Before my eyes, he starts to vanish. I try to hold his hand tighter, but its no use. It's slipping through mine. Soon, I'm holding nothing but air. "Ikuto? Ikuto!"_

_He's gone._

I woke up gasping. I was rolled on my side, my cap half off of my head. For a moment, I had no idea where I was. But then I heard the bustling and chatter of Japanese girls and I remembered. _Ikuto's sister. I'm with Amu._

Turning over, I saw the girls were busily tossing clothes around the room. They were dressed completely differently than before. Amu was wearing a purple and white minidress underneath of a very stylishly cut halter top with a cinched waist and sleeves, long black leggings that came up to mid-thigh, and ankle boots. Her hair was down and her bangs were clipped back. She looked amazing.

As did her friends. The little blonde was in a light blue silky tiered dress underneath of a white denim jacket. The bubbly one had on hot pink shorts over top of striped leggings, and a colorful printed t-shirt that fell of her shoulders.

Do all Japanese girls dress this fabulously?

Amu noticed I was awake. "Aa! Anata ha me o samashi te i masu."

The little blonde looked me over. "Kanojo ha kons āto ni chakuyou suru koto ha deki mase n."

_I'm never going to make it in this country..._

Rima's POV

"I told you we wouldn't have a problem getting her in," Amu said smugly. We were taking the back entrance to Utau's dressing room. Like Amu had predicted, we were such a common crowd at all of Utau's concerts her security guard barely glanced up when we came to the door.

And by 'we' I mean me, Amu, Yaya, Nagihiko, and Tadase. Kukai's probably already here.

Oh, and how could I forget the little stray that was trailing behind Amu like a lost puppy? It beyond irritated me that we had to bring Ella along. Something about that girl just screams bad news to me. I saw the look in her eyes when she ran into Amu outside of _Momo no ChouChou_. She's the kind of desperate that borders on psychotic.

"Something wrong?" Nagihiko asked quietly. He strolled beside me casually. I shrugged. "Ah. So definitely then."

I shot him a look. Why can he read me like an open book? I've damn near mastered the art of hidden and insincere emotions, but I might as well be an amateur next to him.

Unconsciously, we both started to lag behind the group, keeping pace with each other.

"Something tells me..." He said lightly, stretching his arms behind his head. "Something tells me...you're not too fond of Ella-san."

I shrugged again. Seeing as we didn't know much about Ella ourselves, we didn't have much to tell the guys when we met with them. All they knew, all we all know, is that she has to see Ikuto immediately.

"Any particular reason? Is it because there's another cute blonde around now?" He smiled at me, like this was just everyday chatter. I bristled. _Cute? Did he really just say she's cute?_ My eyes zeroed in on the foreigner. She was _ok_, I guess. Better than we'd found her, now that she was wearing one of Amu's outfits; a black jean miniskirt and blue tank top with glitter appliques. Still..._What's so cute about her?_

"No," Nagihiko said, still speculating, "that can't be it. You've never had that problem with Tadase." I rolled my eyes. "Is it because she seems to be chained to Amu-chan?"

_She's chained to Amu because she's a helpless stray and for some reason thinks Amu's the answer to her questions,_ I thought bitterly. Then something struck me. I thought back to earlier today when she first ran into us. It wasn't an accident that Ella had grabbed Amu like that. She deliberately said Ikuto's name because she knew Amu would react. But...how? _How did she know Amu would know where Ikuto was?_

Something definitely doesn't sit right with me about this girl.

"Well, whatever it is, I suppose it means we should keep an eye on her," he said with a straight face.

I turned to him. Was that sarcasm?

"You're usually pretty dead-on about these things. You've got sharp instincts. You always know when _I'm_ up to something," Nagi winked at me.

My cheeks began to burn and I looked away. How can he say something like that so casually? I've lorded the cross-dressing thing over his head for forever now. Common sense should tell him to side with Ella.

Filled with an unusual sense of guilt, I tried to walk faster. But his legs are longer and he kept stride with me easily. "Don't misunderstand Rima-chan. I'm not upset. I'm glad you figured it out. You've saved me more times than I can count." He took my hand. "Whatever it is you're thinking about Ella-san, I trust your judgment."

I didn't respond. There was nothing I could say to that. At least, not with sounding emotional. But that was the thing about Nagihiko; I didn't have to say a word for him to understand me.

As we came to Utau's dressing room, the others went right in. I held back, tugging on Nagihiko's hand so he stayed behind with me. Pouting only slightly, I asked him, "...Do you really think she's cute?"

He blinked. Then he smirked at me. "Yes."

I gawked at him. "W-Wha?" Furious, I tried to snatch my hand back.

"But..." He held tight and pulled me closer, resting his hand on the small of my back. He leaned over, his lips brushing against my ear. "No one's as cute as my queen."

"N-Nagihiko..." I shivered delicately. My cheeks flamed brightly. _He's so close..._

And naturally that's when Yaya decided to check on us. "Are you guys coming...in..." A slow grin spread across her face. "Oooor, you can take your time," she giggled and ran back inside.

"We're coming," I said loudly, shoving myself away from Nagi.

He chuckled and held the door open for me. "After you, Your Highness."

Amu's POV

Tadase tried for the third time to hold my hand. Being petulant, I pulled Ella in between us, looping my arm through hers. "You'll see Ikuto soon," I said brightly. I doubt she understood me, but hearing his name seemed to brighten her up. She's seemed antsy all evening.

We came to Utau's dressing room. We hadn't been permitted backstage until after her performance. Utau's show had been fantastic, as expected. The crowd was immense and full of energy. And I actually managed to stop thinking about Tadase during the whole thing, even though he'd been sitting right next to me.

But Ella's reaction had been...unusual. As soon as Utau took the stage, Ella's eyes got as wide as saucers and she shrieked something in French. It took a lot of effort to calm her down. At one point during the concert she even started crying. Rima had muttered something about her not being "right in the head".

We entered Utau's dressing room to find...her and Kukai..._doing things_.

I averted my eyes, blushing. I heard Ella gasp beside me.

"Oh my," Tadase mumbled. "Ahem," he cleared his throat.

They both jumped. "Whoa! Knock much," Kukai said, although a bit sheepishly.

Utau glared at me. "Why do you have such horrible timing?" It was hard to feel the full force of her anger when she was curled up in Kukai's arms, blushing like mad.

"Kukai, you dog." Yaya giggled. "Today's just one big love fest." She elbowed Rima and wiggled her eyebrows.

"S-Shut-up!" She and Nagi must've been up to something. No wonder they were so far behind.

_Why am I the only one having relationship issues?_

"Who's she?" Utau asked, gesturing at Ella.

"Oh, this is Ella-san. She's-" I turned to our guest, startled by the look on her face. She was glaring menacingly at Utau and Kukai, her mouth twisted up in disgust. "Ella-san?"

She blinked at me, then grabbed my arm, pointing accusingly at Utau and Kukai. She said something in French.

"What's her problem?" Utau disentangled herself from her boyfriend and came over to me. Ella-san hissed something at her in French.

"I don't know. She doesn't speak Japanese. All we know is that she wants-"

"What's going on in here?" Rima and Nagihiko moved out of the doorway as Ikuto came in. He carried a couple of wires on his shoulder that he tossed into the corner. His eyes immediately found mine. I swallowed, unsure of what to do. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't been on my best behaviour with him earlier today. My stomach was back on its emotional roller-coaster.

"Ikuto-nii-san...Welcome back." Tadase smiled warmly. Taking advantage of my distracted state, he finally grabbed my hand.

The action was small and casual, but Ikuto caught it immediately. He quirked an eyebrow slightly. His eyes darkened and his face became an unreadable mask. He looked at me again and I turned away. I wanted to take my hand away, but I knew that would be sending a message I couldn't hope to understand. And I wasn't sure if it'd be a message to Tadase or Ikuto.

"IKUTO!" The loud, accented shriek made everyone jump. Ella san cried out in joy, running straight into his arms and nearly plowing him over. She buried her face in his chest. "Ikuto! Ikuto! IKUTO!"

We all stared blankly and an uncomfortable silence settled over the room.

"..._What the hell is going on here?_"

* * *

Cuxie: Betcha can't guess who said that! ;)

Amu: Why...Wha...I don't understand. O.o

Cuxie: Oh, Amu...that just means you're slow. ^-^

Amu: I am not! I'm just not following!

Cuxie: Because you can't keep up. Because you're slow.

Amu: Because I...I...I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. Just R&R...

Cuxie: _I_ know everything~_Amu_ knows nothing~! =P


	7. Chapter 7

Cuxie: 'I have kept you all in suspense for far too long. I'm sorry my...incompetence? Ahem, has kept you all waiting. If I had only listened to Amu-' Amu! This is the last time I let you write my intro. (Throws paper away)

Amu: Well, it's all true. And Rima wrote most of it.

Rima: You didn't even get to the part about your poor writing ability that's only saved by having such great characters to work with.

Cuxie: 'Great characters' that can just as easily be cut.

Rima: You wouldn't dare.

Cuxie: Try me.

Amu: I think she means it Rima...

Rima:...This isn't over.

Cuxie: Yeah, we'll see. Ahem! (dramatic pause) ROLLING!

* * *

Utau's POV

"What the hell?" I swiftly yanked the little blonde weirdo away from my brother before she could break his spine. I shot Amu a poisonous look, holding her little 'friend' by the back of her collar. The girl struggled in my grip, shouting what I'm sure were obscenities in French. I'm not well-versed in the langauge, but I know enough to recognized when its being spoken. Upon closer inspection, she looked to be older than me. "What is this? Why did your friend just ambush my brother?"

Amu looked every bit as surprised as I did. "I-I don't know...I mean, I knew she wanted to see Ikuto, but I didn't think..." She shook her head in disbelief.

I dropped the girl and bent down to help my brother up. He seemed mildy surprised, not half as much as the rest of us. But Ikuto's never been big on showing emotion. "Ikuto, who is _she_?"

He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "I don't...I'm not sure. She looks familiar though."

"You mean you don't actually _know_ her?" Amu cried.

I was about to respond when the girl in question launched herself at me, pushing me away from my brother and standing in front of him possessively. "Utau?" I heard him cry. Kukai was at my side in a second, holding me back before I could retaliate. Before I could lay into the crazy little wench, Ikuto stepped away from her. She grabbed his sleeve, mumbling, but he glared at her and snatched his arm way, coming to my side. "Are you okay?"

"_I_ am," I growled. "_She_ won't be."

But before I could make good on my threat, my security detail came in. Rima was leading them, and she pointed out the girl before anyone had a chance to ask questions. "That's her."

As my bouncers grabbed her and began to escort her out of the building, I could see the fear in her eyes, and I almost felt sorry for her. Then she screamed for my brother, "Ikuto! Aidez-moi! S'il vous plaît! Ikuto!" And she was gone.

For a moment, no one knew what to say. Except, of course, Amu's little blonde friend.

"I told you she was nuts."

Ikuto's POV

"So you think this Ella girl followed me all the way from France?" Things don't really get creepier than that. Especially considering the fact that she seems much more familiar with me than I am with her. Still...something about her face was familiar. A memory was tickling the back of my mind, floating right along the edges, but I couldn't grasp it.

"I just don't see how you don't know her," Amu sighed. "The whole reason I brought her here was because I thought you'd know what to do with her. Where she's supposed to be going, who she's supposed to be with_...something_."

"Who the heck cares?" Utau grumbled. "She was a pyshco anyway. I can't believe you let her into your house."

Rima nodded. "That's what I said."

Amu's cheeks burned slighlty. The cold mask she'd been wearing all day seemed to finally be melting away. I didn't realized how much I missed seeing her blush. "Still...there must have been a reason Ella-san freaked out like that. Maybe we should find her and-"

"No way," Utau said immediately. "She's never allowed near me or Ikuto again. If you bring her to any more of my concerts I'll have her picture taken and posted so everyone knows she's not allowed in."

"I agree," Kukai jumped in. "Its not safe. She clearly has it out for Utau."

My sister crossed her arms. "Its Ikuto I'm worried about. I can take care of myself."

He grinned. "Of course you can." He placed his arm around her shoulders and I watched my sister fight against a small smile tugging at her lips. Originally, I didn't think I'd ever get used to the idea of my sister dating, even though it probably would've saved me from a lot of her advances. Its a big brother thing, I suppose. Still, I feel like if Utau was able to open up to someone, my going away must've been good for something. My I'd been the reason she wasn't interested in guys before. She was certainly pretty enough to have any guy she wanted. And God knows they all tried. But maybe I just needed to step out of her view for a little bit and let her see someone else. And Kukai's a good kid.

_If only I could say the same for Amu..._ If Utau's opened up, Amu's shut down. To me at least. It's killing me, but I know I deserve it on some level.

So maybe it came to me because I was thinking about Amu. Maybe because Ella was the last thing on my mind at that second, but I finally remembered where I'd seen her from.

And the memory was so incredibly insignificant that it couldn't possibly be why she's here.

She had been a waitress at a café. One of the smaller, more out of the way places I liked to go to. The memory was very faint. I couldn't recall the name of the place or what I'd ordered, but I was sure the waitress had been Ella. She'd spilled something all over the table, apologizing profusely in English. (It was the only common language we had considering the fact that her café obviously didn't get many Japanese tourists.) She was embarrassed, but I had assured her it was okay, gave her a nice tip, and left.

And that was the one and only time I'd ever seen her. I didn't bother sharing this since it was obvious it would get us nowhere. And besides, Ella was gone. I didn't see much point in dwelling on her.

"But she's all alone in a country where she doesn't speak the language," Amu was saying. "Anything could happen to her." Her eyebrows were knitted together and she frowned slightly. "I just don't feel right abandoning her like that."

I had to smile then. It's just like Amu to want to rescue every stray she finds.

Ella's POV

"No! Please! You have to let me back in! You don't understand!" The security guards had tossed me out the back entrance where the dumpsters were. Part of me was terrified to be out in the dark all by myself in this strange place. But I was even more terrified that I'd lost my one chance to see Ikuto. _You stupid, stupid girl...!_ I banged on the rusted door until my fists were red. No one could hear me. And if they could, its not as if they understood what I was saying.

I had seen him. I had touched him. And I'd screwed up. Why, oh why, couldn't I have stayed calm? Why couldn't I have controlled myself?

I knew why. It was that Utau girl. That unfaithful, ungrateful, cheating little...ugh! Why couldn't Ikuto have come in a moment sooner. In time to see her kissing that redheaded boy. He would've dumped her and then I really would've had my shot. But now he'll never know. I'd been so angry with her that I had gone ballistic and gotten myself kicked out. It had been one thing to know he had a beautiful, talented girlfriend. Another to find out she was a cheater. She didn't deserve him, even if she was famous. (And the large crowd I'd seen suggested that she was, indeed, famous.) I would make him see her for what she truly was.

_I'll wait until they come out._ The concert was already over. How much longer would they stay in there?

Sneaking around to the front of the entrance. I hid around the corner. The bouncer was still out there, guarding the entrance. I would have to sit and wait until I heard them come out. I was cold and scared, standing out on the street by myself at night. Anyone could come by and...I wished I had my long coat and hat. I might be mistaken for a boy with those things, especially since my hair was so short. But in Amu's skirt and thin tank top...

_I hope they come out soon..._

* * *

Cuxie: Not bad, if I may say so myself.

Amu: Poor Ella-san...

Cuxie: Still siding with the pyscho, I see.

Amu: No one even gave her a shot!

Utau: I'll give her a shot...with an AK-47.

Cuxie&Amu: WHOA! Out of bounds!

Utau: Whatever.

Cuxie: Bad Utau! I'll have to do something about all this violence. It's corrupting the children! R&R&Stay in school!


	8. Chapter 8

Cuxie: Love! Love! Love! Love! Love! Love! L-l-l-l-love shiiine! Yeah yeah yeah! YEAH!

Rima: Oh God, I can actually imagine you singing that.

Cuxie: Cute, ne? ;)

Rima: Riiight...

Cuxie: Sorry I haven't been updating frequently enough. And I'd been doing such a good job of keeping up with this story. Phoo...~3~

Rima: What are you gonna do about the pyscho chick?

Cuxie: Well, answering that question is kinda why I'm updating, silly. (Pinches Rima's cheek)

Rima: Shut-up and get on with it!

Cuxie: Gimme an 'R'! Gimme an 'O'! Gimme an...''L', 'L', 'I', 'N', 'G'! What's that spell?

Rima: I'm running out of patience...

Cuxie:...Yeah, we know what it spells. So lets do it! X3

* * *

Amu's POV

I was worried. About about Ella-san being lost. About Tadase-kun leaving...

About Ikuto being back. He and Utau had taken a town car home from the concert while the rest of us were given the limo since our group was larger. I stared into the darkness out the window, wondering when I would see them both again. They'd probably want to spend some time alone together for the next few days, which was understandable.

So why did it bother me so much?

_I want to see him. I want to see him right now, and tell him I'm sorry that I've been such a jerk since he got back, and tell him I...I..._

"Amu-chan? Amu-chan?" I felt Tadase squeeze my hand. "What's wrong? You're awfully quiet."

_Like you don't already know._ Peeved, I reached for my phone as an excuse to take my hand back. "Nothing. I'm just worried about Ella-san. Her stuff is still at my house. I think we should've looked for her."

Rima snorted. "So she could attack again? I think not."

"Yeah, Amu. I think it's best if you leave that girl alone," Kukai said. He was riding with us undoubtedly to give Utau and Ikuto the space they needed.

I sighed. Clearly I was alone in my worry for Ella-chan. But I couldn't help but wonder where she'd went. Did she have relatives to go to? Would she find her way back to my house so that she could get her things? Part of me knew that the only real reason I was so concerned about her was that I was trying to keep my mind of my own troubles. But was a little distraction too much to ask after the day I'd had?

I could feel Tadase looking at me. Too peeved off to go along with Rima's plan, I ignored him as best I could and he made no further attempts to talk to me.

I waved goodbye when they dropped me off, not that anyone really noticed. Rima had fallen asleep with her head on Nagi's shoulder, and Yaya and Kukai were debating the finer points of cup ramen verses miso. Tadase didn't look at me as I left, not that I could blame him, considering the fact that I'd slipped away when he tried to kiss me.

_When did things suddenly get so complicated?_ I went inside and quickly slipped upstairs. The house was quiet. My room was quiet. My thoughts seemed ridiculously loud compared to the rest of the world. As soon as I got my pajamas on I hopped on top of the bed, then realized there was no way I'd be getting any sleep tonight. (Which was unfortunated because I had work at the cafe tomorrow.) My phone buzzed on my nightstand. I picked it up and went out on the balcony.

It was a text, from Tadase, of course. _**I love you.**_ I sniffed, "Yeah, I bet." I could feel the threat of tears coming on again. Frustrated, I shouted out into the night, "AAAAAAAAAAAHH! I can't take it anymore!" The night responded with its usual silence.

A moment later, my phone trilled again. This time, it was Ikuto. _**You really shouldn't yell like that. People are trying to sleep.**_ I stared at the phone. "Eh?" For one ridiculous second I thought that maybe he had heard me from all the way across town.

Then, thinking more sensibly, I texted him back: _**You can come out now.**_

"I wasn't hiding."

I jumped. To my right, Ikuto was sitting on the railing at the place where it met the wall, hidden in the shadows. He smirked at my reaction. "Sorry, did I scare you?"

Frowning at him, I looked away. "Aren't we a little old to still be playing these games?" For a moment, he said nothing. Then I heard his footsteps as he approached me. I didn't move and he came closer. I felt his hand touch my waist as he turned my body towards his. "Yeah...I guess you have grown up since I've been gone." His voice was low as he said it and I felt paralyzed. He cupped my cheek gently in his other hand, studying my face. For the first time since he'd been back I held his gaze and all my fears came true. I _did_ want to forgive him. I wanted to hug him and beg him never to leave again. I wanted to..so badly. His eyes bore into mine. "You've changed, Amu."

I swallowed, and as much as I tried to fight it I felt a blush creep along my cheeks. "Is...Is that a bad thing?"

He didn't say anything. Instead he dropped his hands and took a step back. My skin felt warm where he'd touched me. "So what can't you take anymore?"

I was confused, then I realized he was referring to my yelling. "Oh...nothing."

"That was a pretty loud nothing."

I leaned against the railing of the balcony. For some reason, I didn't want him to know about Tadase leaving. _It's funny how now that Ikuto's back Tadase is going away..._ Granted, he wouldn't be going overseas, but he'd still be farther away than I'd be comfortable with.

"What has the little king done now?"

"W-What makes you think its Tadase-kun?"

"You only ever look like that when you're heartbroken."

"Eh?" Suddenly his arms were around me. "EH?"

He whispered in my ear, "I wasn't here before to console you. I'm here now. If you need me."

"I-Ikuto..." _No, Amu, don't do this... He left. He left for two years with only a few calls and texts in-between. He doesn't deserve this..._ But I felt so much better letting him hold me and pretending everything was okay. _He doesn't deserve this..._ Maybe things can go back to the way they were before. Maybe they can be better, even. _He doesn't..._ "Ikuto..." My voice was breaking.

"Do you need me Amu?"

I couldn't hold back anymore. I wrapped my arms around his neck and cried. Two years worth of tears came pouring out. I tried to speak, but the tears warped my voice into nothing but incoherent sobs. I had missed him _so much_. Until now, I hadn't felt how truly long the distance and time was. It's been two years since he's climbed my balcony. Two years since we've been able to talk face-to-face. Two years since I've been close enough to touch him. Two years since I've looked in his eyes and he's looked in mine. And I'd put this reunion off all day, being stubborn like a little kid. I cried and he held me tight to his chest, rubbing my back and whispering in my ear: "I'm here now Amu. I won't leave you again."

"D-Do you...promise?"

"I promise."

My chest felt tight and I suddenly felt so tired. The weight of so much emotion was weakening me. "...I missed you Ikuto. I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I was...m-mean today. I-I didn't...I didn't mean..."

"Shhh. Don't apologize. I deserved it. I'm sorry I hurt you, Amu."

"Ikuto..." As my eyes fell shut I thought I felt his lips press against my cheek.

Ikuto's POV

I picked Amu up and carried her into her room, tucking her into bed. Normally, I would've stayed with her. But ever since her mother caught me staying here I don't want to risk anything. Instead, I stayed for a few minutes, watching her sleep and trying not to hate myself for how much I'd hurt her. I hadn't known that she felt that strongly about my leaving...

_But even if I had I still would've gone...Selfish._

"...Iku..to..." Her breathing was still erratic from crying, but she said my name clearly. I leaned down and kissed her forhead. "I'll be back Amu. I didn't forget my promise."

Knowing that if I stayed another minute longer I wouldn't be able to make myself leave, I turned out her lights and let myself out. I could still climb up and down her balcony just as easily as always. I jumped down and landed near the bushes. Looking down I noticed that my foot was on a piece of flowery fabric, half-concealed in the leaves. _Did Amu drop a dress down here? _It seemed unlikely, but what else could it be? I pulled the branches aside and was shocked to find the garment attached to...a person.

"...Ella?"

* * *

Cuxie: Ooooh, romance!

Amu: Ah~That's a little bit much, don't you think.

Cuxie: To be honest I don't think it's quite enough. Just to be clear, there's a tiny reference to SC Party! Ep.10 thrown in! ;)

Amu: I can't believe I broke down like that in front of Ikuto...And why is Ella-san in my bushes?

Cuxie: You fell asleep in his arms~sigh~so romantic...R&R for more heart-pounding fluffiness!

Amu: Did you even hear me?


End file.
